Nintendo focuses on games at E3 with new 'Mario' (Update)

June 11, 2013
by Derrik J. Lang

Shigeru Miyamoto, Center, a Japanese video game designer, is joined by game demonstrators and interpreters gestures while introducing the Super Mario 3D World at the Nintendo Wii U software showcase during the E3 game show in Los Angeles, Tuesday, June 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

It's all about the games for Nintendo. Instead of a typical flashy presentation at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, the Japanese gaming giant opted to showcase several games for its Wii U system during a brief Tuesday presentation at its booth on the show floor of the gaming industry's annual trade show.

"Today is different," Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime told those gathered inside the behemoth white structure. "It's the reason you're gathered here inside of our booth—standing instead of sitting—because it was our decision to minimize the time from when we said 'good morning' and you getting to play the game."

Nintendo showed off the cartoony strategy game "Pikmin 3," anti-gravity racer "Mario Kart 8," 2-D platformer "Donkey Kong Country Returns: Tropical Freeze," 3-D platformer "Super Mario 3D World," slick action sequel "Bayonetta 2" and a speedier rendition of "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker" for the Wii U. For gamers who couldn't make it to E3, the titles will be on display at more than 100 Best Buy Co. stores in North America this week.

The company also flaunted—but didn't allow attendees to play—a new installment in the fighting series "Super Smash Bros." The new edition will feature such characters as Mario, Mega Man and the female yoga trainer from Wii Fit.

The company has struggled since November with the launch of the Wii U, which features an innovative tablet-like controller yet graphics on par with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo Co. said it sold just 3.45 million units by the end of March, well below the company's expectations.

Reggie Fils-Aime, President and chief operating officer of Nintendo of America, addresses the media at the Nintendo Wii U software showcase during the E3 game show in Los Angeles, Tuesday, June 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

"We feel very good about this E3, and that's because consumers buy hardware to play games, and we're got a fantastic lineup of games that we're showcasing," Fils-Aime said after the event.

Attendees play video games on the Nintendo 3DS at the Nintendo Wii U software showcase during the E3 game show in Los Angeles, Tuesday, June 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

During showy Monday presentations, competitors Microsoft and Sony hyped their respective next-generation consoles. Microsoft Corp. touted new games for the Xbox One, which it said will cost $499, while Sony Corp. unveiled its boxy $399 console, the PlayStation 4. Both consoles feature richer graphics and deeper social networking capabilities.

Members of the media watch a presentation from a riser at the Nintendo Wii U software showcase during the E3 game show in Los Angeles, Tuesday, June 11, 2013. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

"Our competition is going to do what best serves their needs," said Fils-Aime. "We're a different type of company, utilizing our first-party titles to drive our install base. We've done that very effectively for over 30 years. We're a video game company. We make great games. That's what we focus on."

Will Xbox mark the spot once again for Microsoft? The company is set to reveal the next generation of its Xbox entertainment console during a presentation Tuesday at its headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

What is the next generation of gaming? It's a question the video game industry hasn't quite figured out yet, but it's one it must confront at this week's Electronic Entertainment Expo, the much-hyped Los Angeles trade show ...

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